[VIDEO] GM Releases Official Corvette ZR1 Specs: 638 hp and 205 mph

We had a feeling GM was sandbagging us with the production specs of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 back in December. 620 horses is equal to one hundred horsepower per liter they told us. Revised specs in the Spring, we heard. Well, it’s unveiling time at the Museum’s C5/C6 Bash and GM finally makes the Supercharged LS9 6.2L V8 power specs official: The new 2009 Corvette ZR1 produces 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque.

The LS9â€™s output is nearly 103 horses per liter, or just about 1.7 horses for each of the engineâ€™s 376 cubic inches. It is unquestionably the most powerful automotive production engine ever manufactured by General Motors and enables the Corvette ZR1 to achieve a top speed of more than 200 mph (322 km/h).

So what does the view look like at over 200 mph? Watch the video below and you’ll see the Corvette ZR1 hitting 205 mph on a test track in Papenburg, Germany. The Corvette is on what looks like a two lane highway when the hammer is dropped. When a high bank corner comes in view the ZR1 slips effortlessly around it, making the other cars on the track look like they’re standing still. What’s amazing is how smooth the ride appears to be. Watch the steering wheel at 200 mph and there’s barely any movement.

There are only a couple of pieces to puzzle remaining that we still don’t have answers for, including the all important “How Much?”. The other is mostly unimportant to the buyer of a Corvette ZR1: city/highway gas mileage ratings. For what its worth, GM’s engineers are confident the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market.

Finally, mark your calendars for July 14th as that is the start of production for the greatest American sports car the world has ever seen.